Response from Bennett Technologies
We have reviewed our proposal and without seeing the proposal or equipment list from the other vendors, it is impossible to state that they received the exact same work or equipment as what we had proposed. In fact, our actual product cost(without profit factored in), not including labor was higher than the amount this individual stated they were having the work completed for (considerably more than 50% of the proposal total) During out initial consulation we requested a budget amount that this client would like to keep the project within, however he would not provide one, so our proposal was designed to be all inclusive and in the middle spectrum for both the wire work, and the equipment list. This project was also 100% retrofit, meaning, this was not new construction and required some of the wiring to be located downstairs and a fair amount upstairs, the surround speaker wiring was to be run from one side of the room where the equipment was to be located, up to the second story attic, across the home and down the opposite wall (for the rear surrounds). The remainder of the bedrooms were to receive various wire drops and have them all terminated into a central wiring can while minimizing wall repair in a completly finished home. Everything from wire guage, to connnectors and all of the equipment is available in varying grades. We do not use inferior or budget equipment to save cost as it will end up failing over time requiring repair work, which we perform (for others) on a fairly regular basis. We can tailor any project into almost any buget category when given the information to do so. If the client had been more communicative and stated that they wanted a solution for half of the original bid, we would have searched through the hundreds of thousands of products we carry and found a solution that was right for them in the price range they were comfortable spending or informed them that they had a better deal. We do not try to be the lowest priced vendor, nor are we the highest priced vendor. We try to keep our pricing in a balanced manner that provides a balanced value play for each project, while allowing us to continue to operate and make a living. Further more, as for speaker quality, the products we specified are one of the only brands that offer a lifetime warranty and the receiver the individual quoted that they were installing from the other vendor was not regarded as superior to the product we were offering on our propsal. We suggest that all potential clients make sure you are dealing with a legitimate company, not a trunk slammer or moonlighter. Make sure they carry business liability insurance, workmans compensation insurance and are a legitimate company that engages in continuing education and your communities. In addition, have a budget in mind, and share that with your vendor. It is important that we are on the same page for finding not only a customized solution for your needs, but one that will fit within the buget you are hoping to spend.